1.
Current Facilities

Map 1. Doxey, Land use and
Development (click for larger version)

Note :
The
ownerships and boundaries shown on the above map are estimates, given
our current information. If there are any errors, 'PlaySpace for
Doxey' would like them corrected. Please inform us of any
inaccuracies.

A. Publicly Owned Land (White
Diamond)

A1. Recreation Area
off Greensome Close

This area (.547ha 1.35acres) was
originally
part of the school complex but was not required and re-allocated as
public open space.

There has been some equipment
there but
it has been subject to vandalism (see below). The Borough Council
would like the Parish Council to take it over but at present, with
its unsatisfactory situation, this is unlikely to happen.

It is unsatisfactory because :

it is on the edge of the
housing area and can only be accessed from one road (Greensome Close).

With only one entrance there
is no way for children to avoid bullying should it occur.

It is not overlooked by houses
so that bullying and vandalism can go unnoticed. It is only visible
from a few first floor windows.

It is not on the way to
anywhere so it is not used by parents on the way to shops etc.

As a result of the above, most
parents are unwilling to let younger children go there.

It might be suitable for BMX or
skateboarding by the older children.

If there was a path/cycleway (to
The
Crescent/Walland Grove) running through/alongside it would be safer
to use.

A2. Play Area at end of The Crescent

This small area which, is quite
well
equipped, is fairly well used by the residents in the roads off the
Crescent. But is not accessible from the main estate and Doxey
Fields.

B. Privately Owned Land (Pale
Blue
Diamond)

B1. Football Field –
On land owned by
Saint-Gobain Abrasives.

This field was created by
Universal
(Grinding Wheel) c1952 and has been used for most of the time since
then. After falling into disrepair in the early 2000s it was
refurbished by the Parish Council soon after it's creation in 2005 and used for communal village events (Doxey Day - see above).

It is currently used by two teams
–
Doxey Universal and Stafford Falcons. It is used for youth coaching -
the Police led Saturday sessions have been instrumental in lowering
anti-social behaviour in the area over the last two years.

The area on which the pitch stands
is
used by children as a general play area and is crossed by two
unofficial footpaths used to walk from Doxey into town and from
Derrington to Doxey.

This is part of the area owned by
Saint-Gobain Abrasives which has now been fenced off and notices have
been erected discouraging public access.

B2. Play
Area –
William Sutton Centre

The is a play area for younger
children
beside the William Sutton Centre in Sutton Drive. However lack of
supervision and occasional vandalism by older children has meant
that it is no longer generally available.

B3. Bowling Greens – Universal Social Club

The
Universal Social Club's
Bowling
section maintains 3 greens (one ex-tennis courts) at the site near
the new Castle View development. These are well maintained and
available for members to use at any time. Although this is a private
club there are (practically) no restrictions on membership. The area is
contained within the Castle View development (see E1 below).

C. Facilities lost in last 40 years (pink
square)

C1.
Play area – Conway road

Prior to the rebuilding of the
estate
in 1989 the was a largish area of land to the south of Conway Road
(roughly on the site of Broadmeadow Croft ). This had some play
equipment and there was room for children to run-around although ball
games were discouraged. It was not entirely satisfactory as the area
was very close to the road and bus stop and sometimes was covered in
broken glass.

C2. Allotments

There were allotments on the
northern
side of Greensome Lane (near present Greensome Close) these suffered
from theft of produce and equipment. This was not a specifically
Doxey problem as all allotments in the town are now securely fenced.

C3. Tennis Courts

The tennis courts at the Universal
Sports club were converted to Bowling greens. (see above)

C4. Cricket Pitch

The Universal Cricket pitch has
not
been used for many (15?) years. It required extensive drainage to
keep it usable.

D. Walking
space (Pale Green Diamond)

There is very little space in
Doxey for
people to walk. There are two public footpaths.

D1.
Doxey Church to the Castle via the Greenway (Path 44/1)

This path, which dates back to
pre-Victorian times, runs through land owned by Saint-Gobain which
has not been used agriculturally for over 20 years. It is used to
reach the Greenway and is extensively used it to exercise dogs.

The future of the land adjacent to
the
path is uncertain.

D2. Greensome Lane to the Railway line via
the
Ridgeway (Path 39)

This path which follows the line
of the
old 18th Century lane from Doxey to Tillington is used to
access the area near to Doxey Marshes. It is used to walk dogs but is a
'dead-end' and does not lead to anywhere else. The adjacent land
is privately owned.

D3. Unofficial Paths (purple
dashes on map)

Over the years Doxey residents
have
established a network of paths which have no official status. The
main ones are :

The Drive to Greenway past
football
pitch

Main road to football pitch

Church-Castle path to
football pitch

These all cross land owned
by
Saint-Gobain and are therefore under threat.

There are also some paths
adjoining the
marshes accessible via path 39 (see above)

E. Current Development

E1. Castle View Estate (Redrow Homes)

Part of the old Universal site has already been sold and is being developed by Redrow (Castle View Estate map).
An area, adjoining the football pitch, is being set aside for
recreation. Current plans include a MUGA (Multiple Games Area) and
possibly a BMX track. The Parish Council is currently negotiating with
the Borough Council over its use.

While this extra space is welcome it should be realised that this land
is primarily for the use of the residents of the Castle View Estate.
National and local planning policies expect future developers to fulfil
similar obligations.

2. Land
Ownership

We understand that
negotiations are
taking place to sell this land to developers Bellway, possible
subject to outline planning permission being obtained. The southern
part of this area is currently marked as 'Public Open Space' on the
Stafford Borough Local Plan on 2001. In addition we understand that
the area under negotiation also includes the 'old' cricket pitch (C4)
which is marked as 'Protected Open Space' in the same document.

P2. Land owned by Lord Stafford (north of the Greenway)

This land is likely to be
subject to a
planning application in the future. It is currently farmed. The main
problem with this site is that it does not have access to roads north
of the Greenway. (see P5 below)

P3 / P4 Ownership not known at present

These areas are 'inside' the
M6 are are
therefore targets for residential development at some stage. They do
have access to the existing road (Aston Bank/DoxeyFields). We have no
further knowledge regarding these areas.

P5. Land Owned by Lord Stafford south of the Greenway

This land is not in Doxey
Parish but
shares a large part of the 'Greenway' boundary with Rowley ward. We
understand that development in the short term is unlikely but when it
is developed it will probably connect to the roads through
Castlefields.

Other Open Spaces/Facilities

4. Doxey's Recreation Space in a
'Stafford' context.

Map
2 is divided into the current electoral divisions. The
split by ward can be misleading as ward boundaries are not
necessarily the same as community boundaries. Weeping Cross and
Baswich have much in common as do 'Manor and Penkside',
'Tillington(ex Doxey) and Holmcroft'.

The
case of Tillington is especially misleading. Doxey is historically
part of the Tillington ward although the two areas have no practical
connection since the Inter-City Rail Line cuts the ward in two. There
is only one road running through Doxey from Derrington &
Seighford to Castletown via the railway bridge. To drive from Doxey
to Tillington one has to go through the Forebridge, Common and
Holmcroft wards.

This
comparative isolation was probably the main reason that Doxey was
awarded 'Parish' status in 2005 when it became one of the first new
'urban' parishes.

It can be seen that most other
areas
have much better overall facilities with easy access to recreation
grounds, football fields and public open space. Even when other wards
are deficient in recreational resources, this is compensated by easy
access to adjoining areas.